Jammu: Minister for Youth Services and Sports, FCS&CA and Transport, Satish Sharma, today declared the 68th National School Games in four sports disciplines of Judo, Fencing, Wushu and Football closed in a grand valedictory ceremony at General Zorawar Singh Auditorium, University of Jammu.
A total of around 4000 athletes and officials drawn from 44 state/UT/organisation teams across the country took part in these prestigious games, organised by the Department of Youth Services and Sports, J&K, under the aegis of School Games Federation of India (SGFI).
While addressing a large gathering of participants, the Sports Minister extended gratitude to them for showing sporting spirit and discipline during this month long sporting extravaganza, helping its smooth and successful conclusion.
Emphasising Government’s commitment towards promoting genuine sports talent while ensuring that no individual or group would be allowed to politicize sports, the Sports Minister assured that only deserving athletes would be supported and those who have misused sports bodies for personal gain would be shown the door.
Satish Sharma asserted, “let sports be the domain of the sportspersons only, adding only sportspersons should run the sports associations and organisations to yield better results, thus see J&K carving a space on India’s sports map and budding athletes blossoming at the national scene”.
Extending gratitude to the parents, coaches and sports teachers for their unwavering support and encouragement of young athletes, the Minister also highlighted the broader benefits of sports, stating that it is essential in shaping well-rounded individuals, keeping the youth engaged and diverting them from the sedentary lifestyles.
Secretary YS&S, Sarmad Hafeez, while speaking on the occasion, stressed the role of the department in nurturing the sports talent at the grass-root level and instilling values of leadership, discipline and perseverance.
He also congratulated the Directorate of Youth Services and Sports, J&K, for successful completion of the 68th National School Games in Judo. He expressed confidence that the remaining three national championships would also be successfully organised.
The glittering closing ceremony commenced with a warm welcome address by the Director General of YS&S, Rajinder Singh Tara. He spoke about the significance of such events, not only for promoting sports but also for fostering cultural exchange, brotherhood, and religious harmony among children.
Highlighting the magnitude of the event, Tara informed that over 4,000 participants competed across various sports disciplines during the games, emphasising J&K’s commitment towards nurturing budding athletes and promoting sports in every nook and corner of the Union Territory.
The ceremony also witnessed an enthralling performance by famous Dogri singer Sonali Dogra.
Meanwhile, Jharkhand clinched gold, Haryana bagged silver and Manipur claimed the bronze medal while Anushka Kumari of Jharkhand was declared as the Best Player in the U-17 Girls Football Championship.
The Sports Minister, along with other dignitaries, distributed medals/trophies among the winners of Girls U-17 Girls Football Championship.—(JKNS)
